Vitamin D as one of the most underrated vitamins.

Its deficiency can lead to rickets or osteoporosis and to major disorders of the immune system, Hashimoto’s disease, or even mental illnesses. Vitamin D affects fertility, pregnancy and lactation and has been proven to affect teeth, both types of diabetes, bone metabolism, cancer, and the creation of new blood vessels. It shows the pleiotropic effect.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid necessary for maintaining normal calcium-phosphorus metabolism in the body, as well as for proper structure and function of the skeleton. Vitamin D is converted by enzymes into an active hormone – calcitriol.  Vitamin D3 is mainly created from previtamis in the deeper layer of skin thanks to cells called keratinocytes. This process takes several hours. More than 80 percent of the vitamin D needed by humans comes through exposure to sun. According to British research about 1 billion people worldwide has too low serum vitamin D levels, which is associated with the lack of proper sunlight.

Up until now, two forms of vitamin D have been considered equally essential in maintaining the calcium-phosphorus balance in the body, protecting against osteoporosis, and providing proper development of a child (prevent rickets). However, research shows that this rather mysterious vitamin plays a much more important role in human bodies. It should be noted that the majority of the Polish population is vitamin D deficient.

 

Health benefits of vitamin D and health risks from vitamin D deficiency

– regenerates neurons;

– increases muscle mass and muscle strength;

– its deficiency can cause sleep disturbances;

– shows immunomodulatory and indirect antimicrobial properties;

– reduces the risk of developing type 1 diabetes;

– improves insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in people with recent type 2 diabetes mellitus;

– has an anti-proliferative effect and prevents the formation of cancer cells;

– some studies indicate that vitamin D can reduce the risk of developing influenza;

– increases spermatogenesis and fertility, inhibits the growth of endometrium;

– there is an indirect relation between vitamin D deficiency and the risk of developing hypertension and heart failure;

– stimulates the ability to regenerate the liver;

– is essential for the formation of bones and teeth;

– a significant vitamin D deficiency is associated with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia;

– vitamin D supplementation protects against thyroid diseases;

– vitamin D deficiency may dysregulate the immune system (especially in people above 35 years of age).

 

Developed on the basis of:

Dominika Tuchendler, Marek Bolanowski – “Seasonal variations in serum vitamin D concentrations in human”

Seasonal variations in serum vitamin D concentrations in human